Careers in Animal Science 11:067:101
Spring 2016; 3 credits
Instructor: Dr. Kathleen Rahman
Bartlett Hall, Room 213D
(848) 932-1168
rahman@aesop.rutgers.edu
Office hours by appointment
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant: TBD
Class Time: Mondays; Wednesdays 3:55-5:15pm
Location: CDL 103
Course Description:
Students will gain a broad understanding of the variety of careers available to Animal Science
majors and minors. The course will also provide students with lectures on professional
development including electronic portfolio, resume, and cover letter development as well as
practice interviewing and networking skills. Typically, one class day a week will be dedicated to
instruction on a professional development topic while the second class day will be feature a
guest speaker from an Animal Science-related profession.
Learning Goals: By the end of this class, students will:
1) Identify one or more career fields of interest.
2) Know the components for and learn to critique electronic portfolios, resumes, and
cover letters.
3) Develop and practice interview and networking skills.
Course Website: https://sakai.rutgers.edu
Login to the site using your NetID and password. If you are enrolled in the course there should
be a tab identified by the course name (Careers in Animal Science S16). All course materials
including the syllabus, readings, and guest presentations can be found on Sakai. Additionally,
you will upload all course assignments to Sakai for grading.
Academic Integrity: All students are expected to follow University policies on academic
integrity: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/
Student Absence: Students are expected to attend all classes. If you expect to miss a class,
please use the University absence reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/ to indicate
the date and reason for your absence. Students are responsible for all course material.
Special Needs: Accommodations will be given to all students who submit an official letter from
the Office of Disability Services.
Course Assignments (400 points total):
1. Comment Sheets (participation and attendance- 140 points):
a. Participation (5 points): Comment sheets will be passed out each class featuring
a guest lecturer from an Animal Science-related career. These sheets will be used
to monitor your attendance and participation. You will receive a blank sheet for
you to sign your name and answer one of two questions during the speaker’s
presentation. These completed sheets will then be collected at the end of class
and graded.
b. Attendance (5 points): Arrive on time to class to avoid being rude to our guest
speakers. Arriving more than 10 min late will result in no points awarded for
attendance, beginning with the second offense. If you are going to be absent,
please enter it into the RU Absence Reporting System
(https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/).
2. Resumes (first draft, revised draft, final copy- 60 points): Please use Microsoft Word
a. First draft (20 points): You will compose the first draft of an entry-level resume
for your indicated field of interest. This first draft will be uploaded onto Sakai by
##/##.
b. Revised draft (20 points): After the in-class resume critique, you will make
changes to your resume and post the revised draft on Sakai by ##/##.
c. Final copy (20 points): Dr. Rahman will review and edit your uploaded revised
draft by ##/## using Track Changes. You will then make the recommended
changes and post the final copy of your resume on Sakai by ##/##.
3. Cover letters (first draft, revised draft, final copy- 60 points): Please use Microsoft
Word
a. First draft (20 points): You will compose the first draft cover letter for (1) an
internship and (2) entry-level position for your indicated field of interest. This
first draft will be uploaded onto Sakai by ##/##.
b. Revised draft (20 points): After the in-class cover letter critique, you will make
changes to your letters and post the revised drafts on Sakai by ##/##.
c. Final copy (20 points): Dr. Rahman will review and edit your uploaded revised
drafts by ##/## using Track Changes. You will then make the recommended
changes and post the final copy of your cover letters on Sakai by ##/##.
4. Online portfolio (first draft, revised draft, final copy- 60 points) Please use Weebly
a. First draft (20 points): You will compose the first draft of your electronic
portfolio. The link to your site will be uploaded onto Sakai by ##/##.
b. Revised draft (20 points): After the in-class cover letter critique, you will make
changes to your site. Post a list of all changes made and the link to your site on
Sakai by ##/##.
c. Final copy (20 points): After the second in-class cover letter critique, you will
make changes to your site. Post a list of all changes made and the link to your
site on Sakai by ##/##.
5. Interview preparation and evaluation (40 points) Please use Microsoft Word
a. Preparation (20 points): You will identify one employer within your indicated
field of interest and prepare background material for interview regarding an
internship and an entry-level position. Post this document on Sakai by ##/##.
b. Evaluation (20 points): You will summarize the in-class interview experience both
as the “employer” and “candidate” and discuss what you learned. Post your
document on Sakai by ##/##.
6. Elevator speech (rough draft, final copy- 40 points) Please use Microsoft Word
a. Rough draft (20 points): You will compose the first draft of your elevator speech.
The document will be uploaded onto Sakai by ##/##.
b. Final copy (20 points): Dr. Rahman will review and edit your uploaded elevator
speech by ##/## using Track Changes. You will then make the recommended
changes and post the final copy of your speech on Sakai by ##/##.
Grading:
Comment Sheets:
Resume:
Cover Letter:
Portfolio:
Interview:
Elevator Speech:
Total:
140 points
60 points
60 points
60 points
40 points
40 points
400 points
Each assignment is due to be uploaded on Sakai by 11:59pm on the listed due date.
**For every day an assignment is late, 5 points will be automatically deducted.**
A = 90-100%
B+ = 85-89.9
B= 80-84.9
C+ = 75-79.9
C = 70-74.9
D = 60-69.9
F = Below 59.9%
Careers in Animal Science Course Schedule
Week
Lecture Focus
1
Course Overview and requirements + TA Intro
Assignment: Identify one Animal Science field of strong
interest as well as the minimum credentials common to jobs
in this field. Post to Sakai by (date ##/##). Not graded.
2
Professionalism (dressing and writing to impress)
Readings: Posted to Sakai.
3
Professional resumes
Reading: Rutgers Career Services Career and Internship Guide
(pp 9-19).
Assignment: Draft a resume for an entry-level professional
position of your indicated field of interest. Post on Sakai by
(##/##). Bring two copies to the next lecture-focused class.
4
In-class exercise: critiquing resumes
Assignment: Prepare a revised resume based on in-class
critiques. Post on Sakai by (##/##).
5
Cover Letters
Reading: Rutgers Career Services Career and Internship Guide
(pp 20-23); Sakai resources on cover letters
Assignment: Draft different cover letters for (1) an internship
and (2) entry-level professional position for your indicated
field of interest. Post on Sakai by (##/##).Bring two copies to
the next lecture-focused class.
6
In-class exercise: critiquing cover letters
Assignment: Revise the cover letters based on in-class
critiques. Post on Sakai by (##/##).
7
Portfolio development
Readings: Rutgers Career Services Career and Internship
Guide (p 30); Sakai Resources
Assignment: develop a professional portfolio using Weebly.
Provide online site address to Dr. Rahman by date (##/##).
8
In-class exercise- critiquing rough draft electronic portfolios
Bring computer to class
Assignment: Revise electronic portfolio by date ##/##
9
Online Networking
Readings: Weiss, 2013.; Rutgers Career Services Career and
Internship Guide (p 6); Sakai Resources
10
Critiquing revised electronic portfolios
11
Preparing for Interviews
Assignment: identify one employer within your indicated field
of interest and prepare background material for interviews
Speaker Focus
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
12
13
14
regarding an internship and an entry-level professional
position. Post on Sakai by date ##/##.
In-class exercise: interviews
Assignment: Summarize the in-class interview experience,
both as the “employer” and the “candidate” and discuss what
was learned. Post on Sakai by date ##/##/
The Elevator Speech
Assignment: Finalize your own elevator speech based on your
indicated field of interest. Post on Sakai by date ##/##.
The Job Search (Career Fairs, etc)
TBD
TBD
TBD